1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a data processing apparatus and a method thereof capable of easily shortening an execution time of a pipeline for a plurality of application programs executed according to a preset order, which is executed by a pipeline processor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A pipeline is called a set of various application programs which are sequentially executed to achieve one object. A technology of sequentially executing various application programs and using a file as an input and output connection medium executes only one of several stages on a pipeline and therefore an execution time of the pipeline is a sum of the execution time of each stage.
The execution time of the pipeline configured of several stages which is executed at one node is a sum of the execution time which executes all the plurality of application programs corresponding to each stage and a total of execution time also includes an access time to a reservoir.
To increase operation efficiency of the pipeline, there is a need to shorten the execution time of the pipeline operation.
Today, to shorten the execution time of the pipeline using a generally used technology, there is a need to use a method for replacing other application programs having a shorter execution time than the present, using a high-performance file system, or the like. The method requires a lot of time and cost and therefore may not be easily used. Since an IT amateur mainly manufactures and uses the pipeline, it is very difficult to actually apply a method for shortening an execution time using a special technique for modifying and inputting and outputting source codes of application programs.
A technology of using a pipeline of an operating system as an input and output medium between stages has two problems. When the file is simply changed to a pipe, a natural flow of pipeline processing and execution starting timing of the application program are reversed and thus a pipeline user is confused. Further, the pipe has very different characteristics from the file and therefore may not use the same method as the file.
At the time of using a general operating system pipe, a problem of pipe disconnection may be solved, but other problems such as pipe management and a reverse of the execution order of the application program may occur.